High-profile companies based all over the North West have been issuing updates about their latest financial performance since the start of the New Year.
Retailers in particular have been announcing how their faired over the vital Christmas period. For more retail news, click here.
Below, BusinessLive has round up the latest news from some of the largest companies in the region.
Sosandar
Wilmslow-based fashion brand Sosandar has announced its fifth consecutive quarter of profitability.
For the three months to the end of 2022, the company also posted a revenue of £11.6m, up from the £8.9m it reported for the same period in 2021.
In a joint statement, Co-CEOs Ali Hall and Julie Lavington said: "We are pleased to be reporting another record trading performance for Sosandar and a fifth consecutive quarter of profitability for the group.
"The momentum built in H1 has continued and we are thrilled to report both strong revenue growth and improved margins compared with the first half of the financial year.
"As a result of our strategic initiatives, we had a record number of visits in to Sosandar.com in the quarter and we have seen our customers investing in higher value items throughout the winter season.
"Our agile business model, expanded product offering and ever-increasing brand awareness has allowed us to deliver what our customers want and to continue dressing women to feel sexy and chic.
"Whilst the macro-economic environment remains challenging, and we remain highly vigilant, we continue to demonstrate that our differentiated model is capable of achieving sustained profitable growth.
"As a management team, we have complete confidence in our brand, unique product, amazing colleagues and our ability to continue executing on our strategy.
"The strength of our brand and product range continues to be recognised by third party retailers and as a result we are really excited by a number of new opportunities for growth being presented to us across various sales channels and territories."
Supreme
Manchester-headquartered manufacturing and retail group Supreme has revealed its trading in the final three months of 2022 was "up significantly" compared to the same period in 2021, with revenue and gross profit up 30%.
The business said its "strong performance ensures the group remains well placed to meet market expectations" for the year to March 31, 2023.
In a statement, it said: "The group's vaping division has continued its impressive growth trajectory, delivering exceptional organic and acquisitive growth, with Liberty Flights, Cuts Ice and Flavour Core all trading well.
"Bolstered by its extensive retail distribution network and robust D2C capabilities, Supreme remains ideally placed to capitalise on the fast-growing demand in the vaping market.
"The group's Lighting division is showing ongoing signs of recovery, reaffirming the temporary nature of the slowdown within the category and across the market. Elsewhere, the Group's Battery division produced another consistent performance.
"The remainder of the group remains profitable and resilient."
The Fragrance Shop
The Fragrance Shop has announced record Christmas trading in its stores and online.
The company, which is headquartered in Manchester, has said it saw a 11.2% increase in underlying sales in the six weeks to the end of 2022, compared to the same period the previous year.
CEO Sanjay Vadera said: "Our teams have worked hard to deliver another exceptional Christmas despite the challenges posed by economic uncertainty, industrial action and the general pressures on consumer disposable incomes.
"While the economic outlook for the year ahead remains uncertain, we are confident we are well placed to not only weather those economic headwinds but thrive, as we continue to invest and grow.
"The convenience of being able to mix and match between shopping in-store and online will be the bedrock of our plans for 2023.
"We will continue to invest and expand our footprint both digitally and physically to offer our customers the premium shopping environment we know they demand."
Beaverbrooks
Lytham St Annes-headquartered jewellery, diamonds and watch retailer Beaverbrooks saw its "best December on record" after its sales increased 8% compared to December 2021.
The family-owned company added that the final two weeks saw sales rise over 18% versus the same period in the prior year, the retailer’s most successful financial year to date.
Managing director Anna Blackburn said: "After the pandemic’s challenges across the last two years it’s great to have seen people really making the most of Christmas 2022, and the increase in sales shows customers were keen to treat themselves and their loved ones this year.
"Despite declining footfall across the retail sector, we’ve seen a growing trend for customers spending more when they do come into store, particularly for engagement and wedding rings, luxury watches and other considered jewellery purchases.
"Now more than ever it’s all about customer experience when it comes to bricks and mortar retail. When shoppers visit us they want to feel special – taking time to browse collections, having a celebratory drink, trying on special pieces and benefitting from the expertise and advice from our colleagues.
"The retail sector will definitely have its challenges, with reports of the UK already in a recession, interest rates rising and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis reducing disposable income. However, we have found that people are spending more on considered purchases, with watches and diamonds seeing particularly strong performance across the year."
MC2
Manchester-based marketing communications agency MC2 has reported its best ever financial performance for the third year running, with operating profits up 10% and revenue up 15%.
The employee-owned agency specialises in supporting high-growth businesses. This year it secured a number of significant client wins, including northern unicorn Radius, AIM-listed technology transformation business SysGroup, private equity-backed commercial equipment supplier JLA and Cynergy Business Finance, the asset-based lending arm of Cynergy Bank.
Managing director Jonny Saatchi said: "I am incredibly proud of the team for what we’ve been able to deliver this financial year. I’m impressed each day with both the passion and the pace of development of every individual – and their commitment to challenge the ordinary. It is particularly encouraging that it feels like we are only at the start of our journey.
"This was a year where we honed our product around the specific needs of high-growth businesses, helping them to maximise the value of transactions, deliver effective lead generation and create magnetic employer brands.
"The need to really focus on our clients and their pain points will become even more acute during a tough economic period – but I can’t think of a better team than the one we have to build on our successes to-date."
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